


Touch

by agreenbabywren



Category: GOT7
Genre: Complete, F/M, Romance, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 07:28:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agreenbabywren/pseuds/agreenbabywren
Summary: Sometimes unwanted, sometimes welcomed. Touches can linger and break you, heal you and teach you. When your personal space is invaded by a stranger on your birthday, you find the unbreakable bond you share with your guys put to the test in unexpected and complicated new ways. GOT7 x Reader





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. I do not claim ownership over the individuals present in the story. The story I tell here is of my own invention and I do not claim it to be true. This story was written for my entertainment only and I am not profiting from the creation or publication of this story. I am a proud igot7 and I’m just having a little fun, so please don’t sue me :) Got7, fighting!
> 
> Author’s Notes: Hi there! This is the first fanfiction story that I have actually been able to write to completion, so I wanted to share it on here with you. It will be 6 chapters in all and I will upload them as I put the finishing touches on each one. I hope that you enjoy the story, though I do feel like I should say here that some events in this chapter may be *triggering* to some people. That being said, I would have only used a Teen rating, but I chose Mature to be safe. Also, I know some of the details will be off, but that is either from my own ignorance or choosing to change things to make the story I wanted to tell easier to write. So go with it! No flames please, I hope you enjoy the story!

Today is the day!

You gaze at yourself in the mirror of the staff washroom. It's your birthday and you are incredibly excited to finally spend some time with your closest friends. It's going to be an extra special hangout too because all of the guys are actually free for once. It's been ages since that's happened. You are proud of their success and how they've grown as artists over the years, but deep down you have been missing them more than you've let on. The work day had crawled on since you could barely contain your excitement for the get together. Your cubicle mate had laughed at your frenetic energy, but she had also offered to tame your hair during the last break as a birthday gift. Fingering the french braid she made in your bangs, you smile at the way the soft wave of your hair compliments the cerulean blue dress you changed into after work.

Running your hands over the soft material of the dress, you linger on the fine lace details that overlay the sweetheart bodice. You fell in love with this dress when you first saw it because of its intricate lace design, enchanted by the way it created the illusion of a more conservative neckline while still showing some of your back. Though it was elegant, the dress also had a playful side too. You twirl in the mirror, grinning at the way the material floats around you in tendrils of wavy material. When you went looking for a dress with Bambam for today, you never expected to find a dress that suited your personality so well, let alone one that was so comfortable. But that was the magic of shopping with Bambam, he always found these hidden gems that you loved.

With a quick glance at the clock, you scoop up your purse, slip on your kitten heels and head out to catch the subway. To celebrate your big day, you're going to be meeting the guys at a new restaurant downtown for supper and then join them for some karaoke afterwards. Your stomach rumbles in anticipation of the meal that awaits you as you climb into the subway car. While it may have been easier on you, you didn't accept their offer to pick you up after work since you know that they rarely get time off. You didn't want them to have to go out of their way to get you, especially since it would be faster for you to just take the subway and meet them. There had been some protesting, especially from Mark who offered to pick you up himself while the guys went ahead to get a table, but they had eventually caved in to your wishes.

Though your commute will be fairly short, you pull out your headphones and turn on some music on your phone. Youngjae's voice fills your ears, charming a smile out of you instantly. Your chest warms in happiness as you look at the background photo on your phone. It's crazy how young you all look in it. The grins on your faces are contagious. You can't help reminiscing about how much your friendship has grown since those days back when the guys were close to debuting as a group.

You had all become friends unintentionally. Your father had worked with them often, teaching them the martial arts skills they used to do martial arts tricking when they first debuted. When your mother passed away, you started to come in and watch your dad teach them while you did your homework just so you wouldn't have to be at home alone. Slowly, you found yourself drawn to the crazy personalities in the group. You were impressed by their work ethic and determination to pursue their dreams. Over time, you bonded with the guys during breaks, eventually leading to a very close friendship with all of them. They were equally impressed by your own gymnastics skills and you'd sometimes show off in a playful competition with Jackson and Mark.

However, after a particularly nasty fall at a competition that fractured your pelvis, you slowly had to let go of your gymnastics aspirations. The guys were all very worried about you when it happened and were by your side during the recovery as much as they could be, having debuted earlier that year themselves. You felt yourself rub the old injury out of habit, taking comfort in the familiar motion. They really helped you fight through your encroaching depression and forge a new path for yourself. You couldn't be happier now. You're working as an intern at a publishing company as you finish up college and you enjoy collaborating with the members on new song lyrics when they get stuck. You are even working towards having your own poetry published in the future. The guys make you feel like you can do anything.

After letting your mind drift a bit, you realize you are only a few stops away from where you need to get off. You chide yourself for not paying better attention, especially since you haven't taken this route before. As you double check the directions to the restaurant on your phone before putting it away, new passengers begin boarding. You can't help but notice the obnoxiously loud group of guys that enter your car. They seem to be around your age, maybe a little bit older, and are clearly drunk. You shake your head as they shove each other around and laugh. You begin to feel uncomfortable as one of them settles their eyes on you. He grins and looks you up and down in a way that makes your skin crawl. Thankfully, the next stop arrives and more passengers spill into your compartment as your train finally enters the downtown area and is swamped by rush hour commuters.

You breathe a sigh of relief as you move to make room for these new passengers and lose sight of the group from before. You find yourself at the back of the train as the final passengers board through the middle door. The train becomes even more unpleasantly crowded at the next stop to the point that you can barely move from the press of other passengers all around you. You're beginning to feel frustrated and borderline claustrophobic, but you take a deep, steadying breath. Two more stops and then you can finally get out of the oppressive heat of this stuffed subway car. You lean against the coolness of the metal wall for some relief.

Your phone vibrates several times so you reach to answer it despite the lack of room. The boys have been texting you on and off all day in their excitement to finally see you again after so long. You check your phone display and see that this time it's Jackson texting you.

_'Hey, we are almost at the restaurant!'_

_'Are you close?'_

_'Hurry hard girl!'_

His enthusiasm makes you laugh. You send a quick reply that you should be there in about 15 min and to go ahead and grab a table. You figure they will start ordering without you, but you're not too worried since they already know all of your favourite foods. Smiling to yourself, you put your phone back in your purse and start to daydream about the delicious food that you will be eating shortly.

"Was that your boyfriend?"

You jump as you feel hot breath puff onto the skin of your neck and half turn to see the man from the rowdy group earlier who was checking you out. The reek of alcohol hits your nose as he leans in even closer to you and cocks an eyebrow waiting for your answer. You feel nervous at his close proximity and say yes in what you hope is a convincing tone in an attempt to get him to back off. He smirks however and you feel nauseous as he presses himself closer to you, pinning his arms on either side of your head.

"Sure he is.." He chuckles and presses his nose into your hair, smelling it deeply. "Doesn't seem like he knows how to take care of you though. Why would he let you travel alone dressed like this? Your skin is begging to be touched."

Your heart is racing and you feel your stomach drop out as he lowers one of his arms to caress your exposed shoulder. You attempt to bolt around him and possibly scream for help, but he grabs you by the elbow and shoves you back into the wall. You whimper in pain at his unexpected brute strength. Despite your fear, you draw breath into your lungs to call for help anyway. You freeze as you feel something sharp poke your side.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Staring at the switchblade in his hand, you unconsciously begin to tremble. You glance around you for help, but become aware of the fact that you are surrounded by his friends. They are all happily fixated on you and your distress. You feel your throat dry up at the sight of their grins. They leer at you as their friend slides his free hand over your skin and traces the neckline of your dress. You close your eyes as disgust and fear roll over you in a torrent.

Your ears are pounding and you can barely hear as your world shrinks to the feeling of his unwanted touch along your body. He traces his way down the front of your dress, the soft layers providing little protection from the heat of his palms as they fondle you roughly before descending further. Your legs start to shake as he ever so slowly begins to follow the swell of your hip down your thigh. However, your eyes pop open when he begins to reach under the hem of your dress. You feel the train come to a halt and realize you are at your stop. You try to push him off you with renewed desperation, forgetting the knife in your haste.

All he does is chuckle once more at your reaction and press himself fully against you, pinning you to the wall. He brings the knife up to your cheek as a gentle reminder. "I knew he wasn't your boyfriend", he whispers before groaning into your ear. You can feel his excitement and want to vomit. "No one's touched you like this before, have they?" He licks his lips as a few tears leak out despite the glare you manage to send his way. It was true though. With protective streaks a mile wide, the boys had stopped you from going on all but a handful of dates. You're not naive though and you're scared of how far he is going to take things.

"Stay still now, honey." You feel him reach under your skirt again and glide his fingertips over your thighs, leaving goosebumps in his wake. You jerk as he caresses you over your underwear but then freeze in confusion as you feel two sharp tugs followed by a cool breeze below. You look down in horror as he pulls your underwear out from under your skirt. Though you feel light headed, a part of you realizes he must have cut your underwear off with his knife. You feel disgusted when you see him take a sniff of your panties before turning to his friends with a laugh to pass them around.

Your pulse starts to race when you hear the speakers beep the signal for passengers to steer clear of the doors. With an unexpected burst of determination, you kick him in the back of his knee. As he collapses in surprise, you bolt. Pushing passed the hands that try to stop you, you manage to squeeze through the back doors before they finish closing. You land hard on the cold concrete, but you barely feel it as you watch his friends bang on the windows of the closed doors. Before the train pulls away, you see him angrily push his way to the window and wave goodbye with a twisted grin, still clutching your panties.

You feel unsettled and quickly stand up to make sure no one sees anything. People nearby are asking you if you are okay, but thankfully no one seems to have noticed the truth of what happened. You bow several times with assurances that you are okay and quickly leave the platform before locking yourself in a washroom stall. You begin shaking all over as you wrap your arms around yourself. Surely that was a dream, a nightmare? But you could still feel your skin crawling. Your stomach threatens to heave as you become uncomfortably aware of your missing clothing again.

Just as you feel your emotions spiraling out of control, you are startled by your phone's vibration. You hadn't even registered the fact that you were able to hang on to your purse of all things. Your glad to have it with you though. You take a deep breath and pull your phone out with trembling hands. One glance and you can see several texts from the boys in the last 5 min.

_'We are seated and waiting for you.'_

_'Better hurry before these idiots eat all the food.'_

_'Hurry birthday girl! I miss you <3'_

_'Did you get lost baby girl?'_

You feel the hysteria that was rising in your throat settle as you read these messages and begin to calm. Absentmindedly, you rub your hip as your breathing returns to normal. You feel yourself disconnect from what happened and bury your feelings somewhere deep enough that you can deal with this by yourself later. All you want is to be with your guys and pretend nothing happened. You numbly leave your stall to fix your makeup and hair in the mirror, wiping the platform dust off your dress as well as you can. With a quick text saying you are on your way, you start heading to the restaurant.

You're thankful it's only a short walk away from the station, as you feel self conscious as you walk. You know you are covered since your dress goes down to almost your knee, but you can't help feeling exposed. The streets are crowded and you find yourself skirting around people, trying your best not to touch anyone. You just want to be somewhere quiet, somewhere away from all this.

Just as you feel yourself tear up, you turn the corner and see the restaurant not far ahead of you. You are surprised to see Yugyeom waiting outside as you draw closer. You could recognize the silhouette of any of the boys anywhere, but the telltale bobbing of his body to the music of a nearby street musician is a dead giveaway. You school your features into an excited, happy expression before running over to him with relief.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugyeom notices you at the last second as you rush into his arms for a hug. He greets you with an excited, "You're finally here!", his arms coming around to envelop you. You feel safe there since his stature dwarfs yours and you linger in his embrace perhaps a bit too long. "Hey, are you okay? You're shaking.." he whispers to you in concern. You pull away with a smile and try to calm yourself. "Just excited to see you!" you reply as Yugyeom takes in your appearance for the first time.

You're worried he will spot a sign of what happened, but instead you see a blush blossom on his face. "Wow, you look beautiful," he tells you shyly. You blush despite how you're feeling, his reaction is just so sweet. "Thank you, Bambam helped me. You don't look too bad yourself," you tease. He looks so grown up in the suit he is wearing, you almost blush again upon realizing it. Yugyeom takes your hand and starts leading you inside. "How come you were waiting for me?" You ask. "Oh well we were worried you'd gotten lost so I volunteered to wait outside for you. I thought I'd be the easiest to spot above the crowd." He smirks at this like the cheeky little maknae he is and you can't help the chuckle that slips out. He was lucky his hyungs weren't in ear shot.

You aren't surprised when you see how crowded the restaurant is inside. It only opened a couple of months ago and has gotten rave reviews for its food. You crane your neck trying to look around for the other members. They aren't hard to miss after all. "Where is everyone?" you ask in confusion. "They left so we could have dinner just us two." Despite his innocent expression, you don't believe Yugyeom for a second and slap him on the arm. "Yeah, right! Where are they?" He laughs and pulls your hand toward the back of the restaurant. "We got a private room so everyone could relax."

You flinch when a guest brushes passed you on his way out, but feel comforted by the feeling of Yugyeom's hand in your own. Before you even reach the door he's leading you to, you can already hear the members' voices and laughter leaking through the hallway. You finally feel the old excitement from earlier in the day and grin as you open the door. "Hey guys!" you call out as you enter. A chorus of greetings overlap each other as all of the members stand up to hug you. While you've never been blind to how attractive they all are, you think they look particularly handsome today dressed in tailored suits.

"Damn girl, you look even better in that dress than I remember!" Bambam smiles proudly as he hugs you last. You laugh at this, sure that he is bragging about his shopping skills. You miss the way each of the boys' eyes sweep over you in admiration. "You really do look incredible," Jinyoung says with a small smile, the rare compliment surprising you.

Click. You glance over to see JB has taken a picture of you. "Sorry, couldn't resist," he says bashfully, though you can tell he's not really sorry by the soft smile lighting up his face. He turns to address the group, "Let's get a group photo and start eating before the food gets cold." JB places his arm around your shoulder and pulls you closer as everyone crowds around you. He smiles down at you and winks in a way that makes your heart race before looking up and snapping the picture. You're a bit embarrassed when you see that you are blushing and looking at only him in the picture. Laughing, JB refuses to delete it but he does take another picture for you.

As you settle into your seats, you find yourself soaking in the energy of the group. They are their usual crazy selves and you find yourself laughing so hard you're out of breath. You enjoy the appetizers and the warmth that floods you as you sip at the champagne they bought for a birthday toast. They don't want you to get drunk so early, so you're only allowed one glass, but you enjoy the way the bubbles tickle your throat.

You are so engrossed in listening to Jackson tease Youngjae about his latest bout of Youngrish, that you are startled by the appearance of a server bending over you to place a new tray of food. You jump at his close proximity. You see him glance at you and smile. You look down, wanting him to leave, leave and keep your bubble of happiness intact. However, he bends down to be heard above the noise and whispers in your ear, "Are you alright miss?" Though his actions are innocent, the puff of air he expels ghosts over your neck and makes you tremble. You nod to him so he will leave and hold your hands tightly in your lap.

Once the servers have left, you excuse yourself to the bathroom. Locking the door, you lean over the sink and gaze at your reflection. You look pale and shaky. You hate it. You wipe your forehead and neck with cool water to calm down, but your mind is a million miles away on a subway car. You hear a knock on the door and shut the water off. You cautiously open the door and are surprised to see Mark there. "Are you okay?" He asks in concern. You nod your head, trying to keep your shaky smile in place. "I'm okay, let's go back." You follow Mark as he leads you back to the room. You unconsciously grab the back of his jacket as a few people pass you on their way to the bathroom, but he doesn't comment.

The guys look up as you come back in and assure them you're okay. Jinyoung insists that you look pale still though so you pretend to be cold. He unexpectedly removes his jacket and wraps it around your shoulders, claiming he was hot anyway. You slip your arms through the jacket as you sit down, rolling the sleeves up so your hands can poke out. The younger members laugh at how big the jacket is on you as Jinyoung smiles secretly at the sight of you in it. You can smell his cologne and his unique scent on the material. It calms you and stops your trembling. You feel safe.

The remainder of the meal feels tainted though, as you try and fail to listen to the conversations around you. Your mind keeps drifting and you pick at your food. You are surprised though when a birthday cake with sparklers finally appears. Tears prick your eyes as the boys grin and sing you happy birthday. You laugh as the boys contemplate smooshing the cake in each other's faces. They seem relieved when they hear you laugh. You surprise yourself and giggle as you smear icing on JB's face after he hands you a piece of cake. The shock and betrayal on his face is priceless and loud laughter rushes out of you. You hear Youngjae join in with you as Mark smears JB too before jumping away with a series of exuberant high pitched giggles.

Yugyeom and Bambam try to get their leader too, but JB is quick and retaliates with his signature ferocity. You duck under the table, laughing as you hear the boys running around trying to get each other. Youngjae suddenly appears under the table with you, icing in his hair. You grin at each other as he tries to approach you innocently, though you can see the cake he is hiding in his hand. You laugh as he yells and is pulled out from under the table by his leg. You hear Jackson laugh as he sits on Youngjae and smears an icing moustache on his face despite Youngjae's loud complaints.

A truce is called by JB and the boys stop running around. Jackson spots you under the table and offers you his hand. You let him help you out, but feel icing squish between your fingers as he laughs at you. You swat him on the arm as he protests weakly that he didn't mean to. He hands you a napkin to wipe your hand while you take in the havoc the boys have created. Everyone has icing on them, some more than others, though thankfully there is only a little bit of cake on the floor.

You help the boys clean up quickly and laugh as you help Youngjae get the icing out of his hair. The other boys complain that they need help too, so you make your way around to help them as best you can. Soon everyone is presentable again. Yugyeom points out that you didn't make a birthday wish, but you wave it off. "I have everything I need right here," you smile. You chuckle at how proud they look at this but refrain from teasing them because they really are the reason for your happiness.

After sorting out the bill and apologizing for any lingering mess, you follow the boys out to their two cars. Though the boys want to do rock, paper, scissors to determine which car you're in, you decide to ride with Mark and Jinyoung hoping for a quiet ride to the karaoke place. You are uncomfortably aware of yourself again as you climb into the car. You hadn't worried about your missing clothing at the restaurant since the table concealed you, but you feel exposed now. You carefully hold your skirt down as you climb in and tuck it around you before buckling up.

You watch the lights go by as you space out. The music playing on the speakers makes talking unnecessary. You're grateful for the peacefulness. You feel emotionally worn out. You rest your head on the cool window pane and drift off for a bit. Soft voices soothe you at the edge of your consciousness, but you don't wake up until you feel the car shut off. Glancing around, you're confused to see that Mark drove home instead of to the karaoke place. One glance at him prompts a quiet, "We decided to hang out at home instead." You nod and step out of the car as the rest of the guys pull up in JB's car.


	3. Chapter 3

Normally, you would protest this change in plans since you love karaoke so much, but you are happy for the reprieve. You follow the guys into their home, putting on your special slippers and dumping your purse on the counter before heading to the living room. Some of the guys start taking their jackets off and unbuttoning their collars to get more comfortable. Sliding off Jinyoung's jacket, you settle it on your legs so you can sit with your legs tucked up on the couch. Everyone congregates around you, with Mark silently taking the armrest next to you and Jinyoung claiming the spot beside you. You feel comfortable and content.

JB quickly darts out of the living room before returning with his hands behind his back. He clears his throat awkwardly as the guys start to grin at you. "It means so much to us to be able to celebrate your birthday with you," he begins, glancing around as the guys nod in agreement, "so we wanted to give you a little extra surprise. This is from all of us." He pulls his hands out to reveal a beautiful bouquet brimming with your favourite flowers. You can't stop the smile that stretches across your face as you accept the flowers. "Aw, you guys!" you gush. You lean in and blissfully inhale the heavenly scent of sweet pea and freesia, the scent of your mom's old perfume. You're surprised they remembered how much you love this smell.

"Don't forget the surprise in the surprise!" Jackson yells excitedly, pointing to the stems of the bouquet. You tentatively look down and gasp softly at the delicate charm bracelet you see there. You instantly recognize the miniature versions of their individual charms. The boys laugh at your bewildered expression as Jinyoung takes the bracelet off the bouquet and attaches it to your wrist. "How..? When..? Guys! This is so amazing! I love it!"

You admire the bracelet as Youngjae explains, "We wanted to give you something that will remind you of us when we are all too busy to see each other. We miss you when we're away so we hoped you'd think of us when you look at it and know that we are thinking of you too and are always with you." Youngjae trails off as the boys look embarrassed slightly but still really proud of themselves. You feel a blush blossom on your own cheeks as you admire the bracelet and whisper happily, "Thank you. I'm lucky to have you guys".

You don't notice the nod JB gives to the question in Mark's eyes or the nervous glance Yugyeom and Bambam exchange, but you do feel the atmosphere shift as Mark quietly asks: "So are you ready to talk about it now?" You are caught off guard by the direct question and can only look at him with wide eyes as you lamely reply, "Talk about what?" Jinyoung scoffs at your deflection. "Whatever is bothering you. Something is obviously wrong, did you think that we wouldn't notice how different you've been acting tonight?"

You stumble to find the words. "I…" You pause uncertainly. "You've been really jumpy", Yugyeom points out. "And quiet," adds Jackson. JB looks you in the eyes, "And you didn't eat very much". You feel dread spread through you at each comment. You didn't hide your feelings as well as you thought you did. They want an answer, but you don't know what to say. This will change everything. You don't want them to look at you or treat you any differently. You wanted to stay in this happy bubble longer.

"I…" you swallow hard. You feel tears prick your eyes and you could almost laugh at the look of panic that crosses most of the guys' faces as you suddenly burst into tears. Only Jinyoung seems unsurprised, though you could never completely tell with him. He gently pulls you into a hug as Mark rubs your back from beside you. Feeling flustered, Jackson tries to help by handing you some kleenex while Bambam takes the bouquet from your loosening grip.

As you start to calm down and pull away from Jinyoung's embrace, Youngjae passes you a large soft pillow to hold to your stomach. Both of you love to do this when listening to an emotional song or watching a horror movie. It makes you feel protected from the world. Yugyeom also tries to offer you some chocolate to cheer you up, but all you can do is chuckle slightly and decline. You feel too nauseous. You know this is it. You have to open up and tell them, they aren't going to let this go.

JB kneels down in front of you and takes your hands tenderly in his. "Please tell us what's wrong. Whatever it is, we're all here for you." He looks so worried about you, they all do. Even Jinyoung lets you see how worried he is when you look into his eyes. You frown and take a deep breath to steel yourself. You're not sure how to start. "I… something happened on the subway when I was coming to meet you guys..". You feel JB squeeze your hands more firmly, sending his support to you so you will continue.

You keep your eyes glued to the pillow in your hands as you worry about how they are going to react to what you're saying. "The compartments got really crowded when I reached downtown and I ended up at the back door… There were these guys…" You feel the boys around you tense. Tears pool at the edge of your eyes again, but thankfully they do not fall. You plunge ahead to try and get this over with. "They were really drunk and they cornered me against the wall. Well, one guy really, the others just watched. I was so scared, but I couldn't get help.. He threatened me with a knife and started.. Touching me.. And.. And.. Well, he got distracted so I managed to get out just as the doors were closing."

You should have expected it, but you still flinch as all hell breaks loose. JB rises up and starts pacing rapidly, running his hands through his hair angrily. You hear Jackson furiously exclaim, "I'm gonna kill them!" while Mark unexpectedly punches the armrest he's sitting on. He covers his eyes and mutters guiltily, "I should have picked you up". Despite their outrage, the youngest start trying to brainstorm how to catch these guys. Yugyeom and Youngjae discuss calling the police while Bambam starts getting something to write on, saying he will draw the guy if you can describe him. Only Jinyoung restrains himself, but you feel intense fury radiating from his rigid form.

All of these noises assault you simultaneously, but dead silence comes again just as quickly when JB suddenly stops in front of you to continue the questioning. You stare at his legs as he asks deadly quietly, "Where did he touch you?". You feel everyone's eyes on you as you shiver in disgust. You could still feel the sensation of his hands on you and you weren't sure how much detail you wanted to give.

Any answer was bad really, but you settled for the truth. "All over really," you say, wrapping your arms around yourself. "I tried to lie and say you were my boyfriend," you confess, looking into Jackson's wide eyes. You could see him figuring out the timeline of when things must have happened as his face crumples. You glance around at everyone's faces briefly before staring at your hands again. "But he said he could tell I hadn't been touched before. I… I think he would have gone further but… well I got away before he could do that."

You feel shaky, but you feel relieved to be finished. You find the courage to look around again and see your friends faces filled with anger and grief. JB looks livid. You're scared he is going to break something, so you reach for his hand as he paces passed you. At your tentative touch, he stops and hangs his head. "We should have protected you better," he whispers. You hear the hidden apology and the anger he feels with himself. "It's not your fault," you interject softly. "We're so sorry this happened to you," Youngjae says sadly, grabbing your other hand.

You are stunned as they all suddenly hug you on the couch. It is an uncomfortable mess, but you feel better surrounded by your guys. A few tears slip out, but you feel yourself smile with relief in their embrace. With a laugh, you tell them your legs are falling asleep cause they're too heavy. As they pull away, they stay crowded around you, with most of the members sitting on the floor near you so they can be close by.

In this blanket of protection, you feel comfortable enough to answer the rest of their questions. Yes, you will talk to the police and yes, you will be okay. Despite small protests, you easily cave to their demand that you not travel on the subway alone anymore. Jackson is adamant that one of the members should escort you, but you laugh that off, knowing it isn't possible. Still, you appreciate the sentiment.

As things are starting to relax, the ever clever Jinyoung tugs at the one loose end left in your story. "What did you mean by 'he got distracted?' What helped you get away?" You feel yourself blush in embarrassment. Leave it to Jinyoung not to miss anything. He gives you an expectant look, leaving you no room to avoid answering. You clench the jacket on your legs and mutter, "He took my underwear." You see the confusion on their faces and want to sink through the floor. You find yourself clarifying, "He cut it off and was smelling it." You wrinkle your nose at this before continuing, "And he was passing it around to his friends, so I kicked him in the legs and rushed out the closing doors."

You see varying intensities of a blush on their faces as their realize you are sitting there with no underwear on. The two youngest even quickly dart their eyes at your lap before just as quickly looking away. You feel your face flame up even harder as JB and Jinyoung cover their faces in embarrassment for a brief second. JB had been kneeling pretty close to you earlier. You glance down and then back up at Jinyoung. "Did you.. Did you want your jacket back?" He shakes his head. He's still blushing as he answers, "No, that's alright."

Bambam interrupts thoughtfully and says, "Did you want to take a bath? We could lend you some clothes and you could just stay here with us tonight instead of heading home. We don't mind if you crash with us." You see the other boys nodding their head in agreement and smile gratefully. "A bath sounds wonderful." Jackson rises up quickly. "I'll run the bath for you," he exclaims as he races off towards the bathroom. Youngjae quickly gets up too, yelling with a grin, "I'll grab some clothes for you" before disappearing into his room. You smile at their antics as the atmosphere in the living room finally becomes lighter.

You can't help but groan as you slide into the bubbly hot water of the tub once it is ready. Now that you feel safe and relaxed, you can feel how sore your muscles are, both from the rough treatment they endured and hours of remaining tense. You scrub away the daily grime and the dirty touch that lingers and feel yourself healing. You would never forget what happened or the fear you felt, but you know you will be okay with your boys there to support you.

You sigh as you get out of the tub, feeling refreshed. After wrapping a huge fluffy white towel around yourself, you towel dry your hair and start sorting through the clothes Youngjae left for you. You can see they will all be baggy and super comfy. His kindness makes you smile. You stop when you hear a tentative knock at the door. You hold on tight to the front of your towel as you open it up a bit. You're surprised to see JB standing there holding… is that his boxers?! He rubs the back of his head shyly, mumbling "I don't think Youngjae thought of these, I thought you might need some." You nod and take them from him. "Thanks". "No problem." Your heart skips a beat at the soft smile he gives you. You blush and nod at him as you shut the door.

After dressing, you head out to the guys. You can hear raised voices as you approach the living room. "How can you be so calm?" Yugyeom exclaims in frustration. You peek around the hallway to see him standing up with his fists clenched, glaring down at Jinyoung. You worry a fight is about to break out and start forward. "I'm not." Jinyoung's voice sounds gruff from repressed emotion and you find yourself stilling to hear more. "I'm not calm, I'm furious. Both at myself and that sick fuck who did this to her. I feel disgusted with my own inability to protect her and the reality that none of us really can." Yugyeom seems to lose his fighting spirit at this and drops his head with regret. "I'm not really calm. All I want to do is beat the shit out of that guy. Or hold on to her tightly so I know she is okay. But I can't. I won't. She doesn't need that. So I'll stay calm for her."

You're shocked by Jinyoung's admission, as he has always been a pillar of strength during times of crisis for the group. You release the breath you unconsciously held and walk up to the couch quietly. You surprise everyone with your presence and manage to throw your arms around Jinyoung's neck while leaning over the couch. You smile and snuggle his neck with a mumbled thank you. You think you can feel heat coming from his cheeks and you definitely hear a few giggles from Yugyeom, but Jinyoung plays it off with a half-hearted, "Yah! Your hair's still damp, get off me," so you release him and make your way around the couch to sit down.


	4. Chapter 4

Bambam pats the floor in front of him and gestures for you join him. "Let me fix your hair for you." You settle down on the floor and feel yourself encased by his long legs. You feel ticklish as he starts to comb through your wavy hair. He touches you carefully, trying to rid you of tangles without pulling on your scalp. The tenderness of his touch has you relaxing further. You are surprised when he tucks one of the flowers from your bouquet up into your hair. It's a sweet gesture that makes you sigh. He begins to braid your hair loosely for you. "You know," Bambam begins, "I've been wondering, you were flinching a lot when we were out earlier. But you haven't done that with us at all. Why is that?"

You hum contemplatively. "I don't know," you answer honestly. "I just didn't want to be touched by anyone. I could feel my skin crawling all over again when someone would get too close." Bambam nods in understanding at this as his hands continue down your back. "Did we upset you by being so close to you earlier?" Youngjae asks with worry. You smile at him, "No, with you guys it's different. I love you guys." You feel shy saying this, but plunge ahead regardless. "I always feel safe around you guys, everything feels whole when we're together." You see the guys smile back at you at this. You can tell they feel the same. "I was honestly worried that you guys wouldn't want to be around me or touch me anymore, like I had been tainted. I'm glad you're all still acting naturally around me. I'm happy you want to be so close to me. I want you to touch me."

Everyone stares at you intensely at your unexpected confession. You feel the atmosphere become heavy for some reason. Before you can decipher the meaning of it, the tension breaks just as quickly as Bambam swings your finished braid around before wrapping his arms around your shoulders. He leans his head to look at you with a smirk. "Well, I guess we'll have to touch you a lot tonight then baby girl." He winks at you as you blush. Mixed cries of "Bambam!", "Why you little.." and "Dude!" are heard as you're hauled to your feet by JB to stand in front of him. You feel him place his hand on your shoulder as you start laughing at Jackson and Yugyeom trying to sit on a struggling Bambam.

After subduing Bambam, Jackson turns to you with a sincere smile. "I think what this idiot was trying to say is that we do wanna touch you. We'll touch you any way you want us to." JB glares at Jackson as he shouts "Yah!" indignantly. Yugyeom slaps Jackson's arm from beside him for good measure. "What?" asks Jackson defensively. "I might have meant it in a 'we don't think of her any differently and we want to take care of her, but we respect her boundaries' kind of way. It's not my fault some of you have dirty minds." You look around in surprise at this. Your eyes widened at the telltale blush on most of the members' faces. Jackson smirks gleefully as he gets off Bambam.

JB clears his throat behind you and slides his hand down to the small of your back. He guides you to sit down again, this time on the couch between him and Youngjae. "What do you want to do tonight though?" Youngjae asks thoughtfully. The change in topic is more than welcome. "It's still early in the evening and it is your birthday." You try to think of something, but your mind keeps coming back to one thing. "Hmm... well, I guess we aren't going to the karaoke place anymore. That's too bad, I was really looking forward to going there with you guys."

"We can still do karaoke!" Youngjae looks more excited by the idea than you are. He jumps up and runs to his room before returning with a couple toy tambourines and microphones. His grin is contagious as the other members start looking through their phones for song lyrics. Jinyoung also manages to connect his phone to the speaker system. In a whirlwind of energy, Jackson and Yugyeom gather snacks and drinks from the kitchen while Bambam hooks up a random disco ball light from his room. You laugh as the boys start the night off with a rendition of the Pororo theme song that has you gasping for breath from laughing too much.

At your request, Youngjae goes next and sings JYP's 'Honey'. You love watching him perform that song. You have to admit that he is rather charismatic during his performance and you find yourself charmed by his subtle sexiness. You giggle as he pulls you up and dances with you during the music break. Youngjae holds your hand as he sings the last chorus of the song. With a flourish, he bows and then kisses your hand with a wink that makes your heart flutter. His eyes scrunch up as he grins happily at your shy expression.

Not to be outdone, Yugyeom grabs your arm and pulls you into a twirl as a fast paced song comes on. You barely notice he isn't even singing since you are too busy laughing as he continues to spin you in a revolving circle. Just when you start to get dizzy, he dips you in his arms with a sweet smile on his face. You stare into his beautiful eyes as the dip lingers and you start to feel dizzy for a different reason. The guys laugh as Jinyoung kicks Yugyeom in the butt from his seat on the couch, causing him to stumble. Yugyeom is forced to bring you upright again so that you won't fall over.

You smile as Bambam hands you a mic so you can sing the next song together. You feel most comfortable singing with Bambam since he always goes all out even if he sounds bad. You can hear Yugyeom laughing like a seagull over Bambam's rendition of their latest single and you try to keep it together long enough to finish the song. You can't hold it in any longer though when Mark starts rolling around on the floor. You burst out laughing, tumbling down clutching your sides by the end of the song.

You pass the mic off to JB so he can sing a duet with Jinyoung and settle down near Jackson. You find yourself in Jackson's lap with one quick pull. Before you can protest, he whispers in your ear, "Did you want me to massage your shoulders? You keep rubbing them, are they sore? A massage would help." JB is shooting Jackson disapproving glances while singing, so you say loud enough for him to hear, "My shoulders are really sore, a massage would be a big help. Thanks!" Jackson chuckles at JB in amusement, but is gentle as he begins to knead your neck and shoulders. You sigh and relax into his touch as it erases your weariness from the day. You don't mind as Jackson moves his hands lower down your back, searching out and releasing any knots. You become distracted by the almost ticklish feeling of his fingers skimming your sides.

Your eyes slide close as Jackson continues and the world pleasantly shrinks to the pleasurable relief along your back. An errant moan escapes your lips as he works on a particularly bothersome spot. You feel him freeze at the sound and remove his hands. You open your eyes and glance back at him. He has a trace of a blush on his cheeks and his hands are up in a helpless 'I'm innocent' gesture. You look around as you realize the music is playing, but no one is singing anymore. You see a mixture of glares and blushes, causing you to mumble "sorry" before scooting off Jackson. Youngjae leans over and hits Jackson on the shoulder hard, earning an indignant "Hey!" from his hyung.

You offer to go grab some more drinks for everyone from the kitchen to escape your embarrassment. Mark comes along to help you. You enjoy the comfortable silence between you two as you move around the kitchen. You hear a Chris Brown song start in the living room with the occasional cheer of "Hit the Stage!". You smile thinking of Yugyeom busting out some of his house moves, but shake your head at the song choice. Mark notices and smiles back at you like he can read your mind.

There's a crash from the living room suddenly. It startles you as you are reaching into a low cupboard for some snacks. You bonk your head loudly as you jump at the noise and emerge from the cupboard clutching your head. "Oww.." you groan. "Are you okay?" A soft, deep voice greets you as you feel gentle hands rubbing your head checking for bumps. Your eyes meet Mark's as you realize he has crouched down in front of you to check on you. He is so close, you can feel his breath on your skin as he slowly tilts your chin so he can look at you. "I'm okay," you whisper, not wanting to break whatever bubble you've found yourselves in. He smiles at you as he stands up and offers you his hand to help you up. You return the smile as you take his warm hand.

Vertical once more, you pick up the snacks you dropped and put them on the counter. You try to get a bowl for them too, but the last one is too far back in the cupboard for you to reach. You stretch up on your tiptoes, but can't quite make it. You feel heat along your back as Mark effortlessly reaches up behind you. "Here," he says with a chuckle, the puff of air tickling your neck and making you shiver. You can feel the lean muscle of his torso as he stretches above you and you try not to blush.

Just as his hand is on the rim of the bowl, a new voice floats in. "Need some help?" Youngjae asks in a deceptively cheerful manner. Jinyoung walks to the fridge and pulls out an ice pack at the same time. He looks at you two with serious eyes that make you quickly slide out from under Mark and start grabbing some of the snacks you left on the counter. "Help would be great! I think we got everything out, can you just grab the rest of these snacks and a couple of the drinks?"

Youngjae nods and starts gathering some stuff as you turn to Jinyoung. "What's the ice pack for? Did someone get hurt? We heard a big crash." Jinyoung rolls his eyes, "Yugyeom and Bambam were trying to have a dance off and things got a little too crazy. They ended up in a full on war and Bambam dabbed right into the table and fell over it. He's fine, but he banged his elbow good so I thought I'd grab some ice." You all head back to the living room where you swear you hear Jinyoung mutter, "Dab King my ass" as he hands Bambam the ice pack.

"How about we do something else?" you suggest with a chuckle at Bambam's skewed hair. "What did you have in mind?" JB asks. "Yeah, it's still your pick birthday girl!" Jackson teases. You think about it as you pass out the snacks. You snap your fingers when it comes to you. "Do you guys wanna play truth or dare with a twist?" Jinyoung raises his eyebrow at this and questions, "What's the twist?"

You smirk and explain, "We will each take a turn suggesting a truth or dare question. After the challenge is made, we play rock, paper, scissors. The loser has to complete the challenge. Well, 1-2 losers depending on the dare. If you lose, you still have to do the challenge even if you were the one to propose it. You can pass, but the penalty is someone gets to draw on your face. What do you guys think?" You look around and are happy to see they are excited by the game. "Sure, let's do that. Sounds like fun," JB replies casually, though you can tell he is already brainstorming challenges. Only Youngjae looks nervous, but he is a good sport and agrees to play as the game gets underway.


	5. Chapter 5

Since it was your idea, the boys decide that you should go first. As you are trying to think of an easy one to start with, Bambam starts pouring shots. "For courage!" He claims, as he pass one to each of you. Before anyone can protest, you down your shot quickly and start coughing. "Man, that stuff is gross," you complain. You can feel heat flood your cheeks as the alcohol starts entering your system. The boys never let you drink a lot since you have a low tolerance, so you're not surprised when Bambam gets dirty looks for giving you the shot in the first place.

This gives you an idea though. "Okay, let's start easy with a truth question. What's the dumbest or most embarrassing thing you've done while drunk?" There are some chuckles around the group at your suggestion, making you curious as to what their answers will be. Everyone enthusiastically launches their symbol into the circle and Jackson loses with rock. He groans and throws himself backwards to lie on the ground dramatically. "Well?" You ask, nudging his leg with your foot. He covers his face with his hand and replies, "Once, I was so drunk that I ordered takeout and answered the door dressed like a girl on a dare. Like full make up and everything." He groans again before continuing, "I was so convincing the guy asked me on a date and pinched me on the ass as I turned to bring the food inside. I was so shocked I told him off with my regular voice. I don't know who was more embarrassed, him or me!" The group bursts out laughing at this and Jackson joins in as he sits up.

"Alright, who's next?" JB asks with poorly concealed excitement. You shrug your shoulders, replying "Why don't you go since you seem to have a dare in mind already?" JB nods and rubs his hands together. "I dare two losers to make out." JB laughs as several complaints of "Hyung!" and "What the hell?" are heard. You just look at him in confusion. "What kind of dare is that?" you ask. He smirks at you and replies "The kind that everyone will say no to."

You probably should have factored in the members' competitive streaks when you made the rules. You had thought that getting people to do dares or answer truths would be the goal of the game with the penalty only there to stop them from declining. But it seems the new goal was to draw on each other's faces. You shake your head, man these guys were such kids sometimes. The rest of the group seems to see where JB is going too. "You're gonna regret that when it's my turn, Hyung!" Bambam calls out as Yugyeom nods vigorously.

You all put your hands in the circle and JB, Jackson and Bambam are winners. They scream in joy and laugh at the ones stuck playing again. As you are trying to think of what to play next, Mark quietly murmurs to the winners, "You just missed your chance." He laughs as understanding blooms in their eyes and they glance between you and the remaining guys. You are oblivious to the collective breath being held and toss your hand into the ring with the others. You breathe a sigh of relief, having won the round.

You laugh with the rest of the winners as you watch Yugyeom and Youngjae look at each other in horror. As they both submit to having their faces drawn on amid rounds of laughter, you ponder what might have happened if you had lost. Would you have done it, kissed one of them? Each of them definitely draws you in in different ways. In a small secret part of yourself, you know you would have wanted to follow through on the dare if it meant kissing him. But you have never acknowledged this attraction for fear of fracturing the friendships that mean so much to you.

As you imagine what might have happened, you start to blush. You notice Mark's eyes on you as the group comes together once more. Could he tell what you were thinking? You look away, hoping the heat in your cheeks appears to be from the alcohol still. "Alright, my turn," says Jackson. He has a big grin across his face. "I dare two losers to kiss everyone in the group." When everyone looks at him like he has two heads, he clarifies, "Better odds that way," with a sinful wink in your direction.

The boys throw pillows at Jackson in irritation as you wonder what he needs odds for. Shaking your head, you complain, "That's too similar to the last dare. I know you want to draw on each other's faces, but try to be original at least." Bambam smirks at an indignant Jackson and echoes, "Yeah, try to be original, Hyung." You laugh at this, as Jackson shakes his head looking betrayed. "I wasn't just giving myself a chance, you know," he mumbles before Jinyoung elbows him in the side, shutting him up.

"How about this?" Bambam offers excitedly. "Two losers have to compete in a random dance play made up of different boy and girl group songs. Whoever misses the most moves has to let everyone draw something on their face. The winner gets away with a clean face" Bambam grins, "If both losers back out, then I still get to draw on both their faces." Everyone nods at the suggestion and you all throw your hands in the ring. "Oh, and both players have to be blindfolded!" You all groan as Bambam adds this last nugget of information.

After several intense rounds, you stare at your hand forlornly as you realize it's you vs. Yugyeom. You call time out above all the relieved screaming and plead for mercy to Bambam. "Can I have some kind of help? You can't seriously expect me to beat Hit the Stage!" Bambam chuckles at your predicament, but shrugs as if to say, 'Sorry, those are the rules'. You throw in your bargaining chip. "Please? It is still my birthday," you add sweetly. You see Bambam sway in his decision, but when his eyes light up with mischief you get the feeling you might regret asking for a penalty.

Bambam leans forward eagerly and traps you with his gaze. "Alright," he begins, "I'll let you pick the songs so you will at least know them, but not the order they will play in." That seems fair. "But my help comes with a price." You look at him in confusion, but nod anyway. "A kiss," he says with a smirk. The guys look pissed, but Bambam begins laughing loudly and saying, "Guess it would be safer to back out!" However, his laughter cuts off when he feels your lips press softly against his cheek. You pull away with a smile and say, "Thanks for the help," before snagging his phone. Bambam places his hand against his cheek, grinning widely to himself.

With the playlist decided upon, you throw the phone to Bambam and take your place beside Yugyeom. Nerves start to settle in as Youngjae ties a blindfold over your eyes. What are the odds you won't look like a complete idiot? Slim to none you figure, but hopefully you'll be able to beat out Yugyeom with the songs you chose. You know he is less likely to know the girl steps, so you're hoping that will give you an advantage. You feel Youngjae pat your shoulder comfortingly. "Good luck," he whispers. He sounds relieved not to be in your shoes.

As the songs start up, you feel thankful that you can't actually see. It helps you feel less embarrassed as you try your best to keep up with the changing music. The boys are laughing like crazy at both of you and you find yourself having fun as you join in. When 'Bounce' comes on, you really let loose. You were a fan of this song before you even met the guys. You know all of the moves, even the ones that the boys change up at performances. You bend over and start shaking your butt like Jinyoung has been doing on stage lately. You hear a few cheers from Jackson and Bambam before you get knocked over.

The feeling of falling is disorienting and it takes you a second to realize you are surprisingly unharmed. Next comes the realization that someone has their arm wrapped around you tightly. You yank off your blindfold and twist your head to look at Jinyoung. He looks distinctly embarrassed, but he won't stop staring at you. He is so close you could count his eyelashes if you wanted to. The press of his body against yours curiously makes heat start to curl in your stomach. You finally realize your head is resting on his outstretched arm and move to sit up. The arm around your waist hesitates to allow this movement, but he relents at the faint blush dusting your cheeks.

You rub your head and look around. "What happened?" You look to Jinyoung for an explanation and he shoots you an annoyed glare. "I got up to stop you from colliding with Yugyeom since you were too busy dancing like a crazy idiot." You glare back at him for this comment, but he shifts his eyes to Bambam next. "But this idiot tripped me so I fell on you instead." Bambam just looks to the side, trying to appear innocent unsuccessfully. Jackson lets out a loud laugh at this, pinning Jinyoung with an incredulous stare. "Yeah, right! They weren't that close. Besides, you started moving towards her as soon as you saw her bending over."

This confuses you. "Why did you get up then?" you ask Jinyoung. Bambam finally joins in with a smirk, "Yeah, Hyung. Why did you do that?" Jinyoung looks annoyed, but you get the feeling he's just as annoyed with himself. Before Jackson can press Jinyoung further, JB stops him with a hand on his shoulder. You accept JB's help to stand up as Yugyeom asks, "So do we keep going? Who won?" Deep in thought, JB finally replies, "It was a closer call than I thought it would be. We didn't get through all the songs though so I think Bambam should be the one punished for interference." Bambam lets out an indignant shout at this. As you laugh, JB swings his arm around your shoulder and grins at you. "Does that sound good?" he asks. You nod and offer Yugyeom the chance to draw first since you're sure he would have won.

As the members chase an elusive Bambam around, you feel JB release you. You find yourself missing the comforting weight of his arm around you, but it is quickly replaced by his hand on your head. "Are you alright?" He asks with concern. You nod. He pats your head twice with a small smile, before stroking your hair. "I'm not one of your cats," you grumble. This only makes his smile grow as he stares at you. He glances around at the chaos of the members, but lets his fingers linger in your hair a little longer. "I know," he whispers, pulling the ends of your hair towards him. "But, I still wish I could keep you."

The soft way he looks at you before joining the others makes you tremble. You glance at the guys, but most of them are too wrapped up in drawing on Bambam. Only Mark and Jinyoung's eyes linger on you. You work on fixing your braid which came loose during all your dancing. As the boys settle down, you finish tucking the flower back into your hair. With the circle reformed, you say, "Alright, who wants to go next?" Surprisingly, Youngjae offers, "I'll go. Let's take a break from all the dares and do a truth question. The loser has to share a secret that not everyone in the group knows." You see the boys glance at each other and you're curious what kind of secret could be left unsaid between them.


	6. Chapter 6

You feel disappointed when you lose the round of rock, paper, scissors, especially when some of the members look relieved. You were really looking forward to hearing what secret they were going to reveal... However, as you stare back and forth at your hand and their expectant faces, you can't help but think, "Oh… crap." You blurt out, "I have a tattoo I never told you guys about" before covering your mouth. You watch as JB's eyebrows go so high they almost disappear into his hairline. "A tattoo?! Since when?!" Yugyeom demands. You sigh, resolving yourself to finally being open about this. "I got it a long time ago, after my injury healed."

You stand up and begin to pull the side of your pants down. You roll your eyes as the boys start freaking out and try to stop you. "It's not that far down, chill out you pervs." You laugh at their embarrassed expressions before showing them the small green bird tattooed on your inner hip. You start to blush as you bashfully explain, "You guys were there for me when I was really struggling with the impact of my injury. You made me feel worthwhile again and gave me the confidence to forge a new path for myself. So I got this tattoo over my injury to symbolize our bond. It reminds me that you guys are always there to support me and that I can overcome anything." You rub your tattoo as you say this, a comforting action that has become a habit.

"How come you never told us about it?" Mark asks. You feel a bit of guilt at this question. "Well, when I got it I was pretty young and I was worried you would try to talk me out of it. Or that some of you would forbid it." You join the boys in laughing at this very likely scenario. "But I knew I would never regret this tattoo because you will all always have a special place in my heart." The boys smile at this confident confession and you feel relieved to finally be telling them about this. "I guess I never ended up telling you because it kind of became my secret strength. But I'm glad you know now," you finish happily.

You feel a hand come up and hold your hip before a thumb begins to gently caress your tattoo. It's like lightning shoots through you at the touch. You look down in surprise to see Youngjae looking at your tattoo thoughtfully as he touches it. You blush at the intimacy of his actions. When Youngjae finally looks up at you, you feel yourself shiver at the look in his eyes. You clearly your throat awkwardly, keenly aware of the guys' eyes on you.

With that sound, Youngjae seems to realize what he's doing. His adorable elfin ears flush scarlet. He removes his hand quickly, exclaiming, "Sorry, I didn't mean to! I was thinking of some lyrics for a new song that just popped in my head after hearing your story and my hand just sort of… I'm sorry!" Jackson scoffs at this and grumbles, "Suuure… What's the song gonna be called? Cause 'Hands Off' seems pretty appropriate!" You laugh at Youngjae's flushed face as he gets a lecture from his Hyungs.

You're not sure what to make of Jackson's angry tone or how his eyes keep drifting to your bare hip like he's longing to touch it too. You cover your tattoo once more, though the feeling of Youngjae's innocent touch lingers in a way that makes you think of not quite so innocent things. Before your mind can wander too far, Bambam begins handing out some more shots. You snag one, glad for the distraction. "I think this is a good spot to end the game," Jinyoung suggests. You nod and down your shot with a grimace. "Let's just hang out and drink a little more," you suggest. "I'm getting pretty tired anyway."

A couple rounds of foosball and another shot later, you find yourself drifting off on the couch next to Mark. The rest of the guys are still full of energy. You shake your head at the boys' colourful language as they play Wii Sports. You instantly regret this though, as it makes you really dizzy. Mark looks over with concern as you groan. He doesn't blink an eye as you tilt over and lie with your head on his lap. "This is why drinking is overrated," you huff in annoyance. "I mean, I like feeling relaxed, but I always have trouble finding that happy medium where I'm not falling over."

His deep chuckle reverberates along your back and you find yourself turning over so you can see his smile too. He places his hand on your waist to make sure you won't fall off. The warmth is a steady comfort as you find yourself staring at Mark. He fidgets with your bracelet on and off as he stares without seeing at the tv screen. He looks conflicted for some reason, but you're not sure why. When he nods to himself and leans forward to talk quietly to you, you do your best to listen above the noise of the others.

"You know, this bracelet we gave you is very similar to your tattoo," he begins. You nod, but don't interrupt. "But while your tattoo symbolizes your bond with us, this bracelet also symbolizes the bond between each of us too. The seven of us will always be connected, like brothers, regardless of how our relationship grows and changes with you over the years". He gives you a meaningful look that you don't really understand. Your eyebrows scrunch in confusion. "You don't think you guys will stay friends with me?" You feel lost and saddened by this idea. They are your best friends, you feel complete when you are all together. Before you can really dwell on this idea though, Mark shakes his head with a smile and bonks your forehead. "No, silly. Geeze, your mind goes strange places." You can't help but chuckle with him at this.

Mark looks slightly embarrassed as he continues, "What I mean is you won't always be just friends with one of us. If you haven't noticed, we all love you and want to be more to you, to take care of you... for maybe even the rest of your life." You blush and look down at this confession. Your mind starts spinning again as you try to make sense of something you never expected to be possible. Mark sighs and continues despite your silence, "We gave you this bracelet so you would know that whoever you choose, we will all still remain friends with you and with each other. We just want your happiness. We were going to tell you all this when we gave it to you, but well… anyway, the guys are probably going to kill me for telling you like this, but I wanted you to know the truth. Think about it. But don't take too long. Be honest with yourself and choose to be happy." You jump as Mark is called to join in on a new level. He smiles at you gently before helping you sit up.

As he moves away, all you manage to get out is, "I've never heard you talk so much at once." Mark laughs at this unexpected comment and shrugs with a playful smirk, "Must be the alcohol. Never seen you so tongue tied before." Your mind reels as it tries to take in what Mark has confided in you. Oblivious to your inner turmoil, the boys start a new game of team bowling and continue to laugh their heads off. You zone out as you try to accept the truth of things. You fiddle with your bracelet as you reflect on your feelings for each of your boys that you now realize have turned into men. What you should be doing is running around shouting your love for him for everyone to hear. After all, you have permission now.

And therein lies the problem. You're scared, terribly scared. Scared to move forward, scared to face things, scared to change things. You feel nauseous at the idea of confessing the feelings you have buried for so long. You know it's not wrong to love him. But it has been taboo for so long, it's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that he might want to love you openly too. Does want to, apparently. You feel like a coward, but you just want to run away and hide. Hide, sleep and maybe calm your racing heart beat.

Grabbing your phone, you get up on unsteady legs and try to make your way to the stairs so you can go to bed for the night. But you don't make it far before you find yourself off balance. You stumble into Yugyeom, who drops his remote to brace your shoulders so you won't fall. "Are you okay?" he asks in surprise. The guys pause the game and focus on you. Great. "Where are you going?" Jinyoung asks in concern. You shy away from their gazes and mumble to Yugyeom, "I'm really tired, I was just gonna go to bed." He lets go of your shoulders to let you pass, but you start tilting after a couple of steps again.

You are surprised when Yugyeom lifts your legs out from under you. It makes you dizzier, so you tuck your head into the crook of his neck with a groan. "I'll take her up guys, be right back," he calls to the others. You hear some worried whispers before the game turns back on as Yugyeom ascends the stairs. "Sorry I'm making you miss the game," you whisper. You feel Yugyeom smile as he quietly replies, "That's alright. I'd rather know you got into bed safely." You feel soothed by the gentle sway of the steps and the steady sound of his breathing near your ear.

You find yourself drifting to sleep as he lays you gently in his bed on your side. You're vaguely aware of him grabbing you a glass of water and an emergency bucket before he tucks you in. He brushes the hair back from your forehead and plants a gentle kiss there. "Night, birthday girl. Feel better." As Yugyeom turns to leave, you grab his hand. Half-asleep, you ask, "Aren't you scared of how things will change?" He looks at you in confusion, "How what will change?". All you can muster is, "I know… and now everyone is waiting for my answer."

Understanding blooms on Yugyeom's face. He turns back and sits on the edge of your bed, still holding your hand. "Of course I'm scared," he replies with a smile. "Any major change in your life can be scary." You nod sleepily to this, glad that he understands. "But I also know that nothing can break the strength of our friendships. So it's not so scary knowing that, while some things may change, the people I love will always remain by my side. That will never change." He makes it sound so easy, but then again Yugyeom always tends to see things in a pure and simple way. You can feel the certainty and honesty in his words; they give you a strength that helps you finally feel calm again. You whisper, "Thank you," before succumbing to sleep. As you begin to snore, Yugyeom smothers a laugh and sneaks out of the room.

You find little rest throughout the night though. Trapped in a nightmare, your fear takes the form of the man from the subway. You can't move as you are subjected to his unwanted touch once more. You scream and cry and try to struggle, but you are rooted in place. His plaything for as long as he desires you. You know where this is leading and you know things are going to get much worse. Regret fills you as he sniffs your panties before reaching under your skirt again. You wanted to share this part of yourself with him, the person you have grown to love and care for with all your heart. You cry as you think of all the wasted time. You've been denying your feelings for so long, you didn't even realize you were squandering your happiness. Your eyes fly open as you feel your attacker ripped off of you suddenly. No longer pinned under his body, you collapse into the embrace of seven pairs of arms. You glance around at your friends and feel safe. You feel silly for being scared. You know they will always be there for you. You're done wasting time. You turn to face…

You jerk awake as your alarm goes off. Grumbling, you silence the alarm you left on by accident. You down the stale water left by your bed last night and groan at your lingering headache. You think back on the dream you had. "Man, things were just getting good!" You smile to yourself at the thought. You feel lighter though, resolved and less afraid. You brush your teeth before hopping down the stairs. A woman on a mission, you search out the guys. Sure enough, they passed out downstairs instead of making it to their beds. Seeing them sleeping peacefully like this makes you reconsider your original intentions of waking them up though. You check the time. It's still early and they really do deserve to rest when they can. Yawning yourself, you figure love confessions can wait, at least until after breakfast anyway. You snuggle down beside the one you love, happy to feel him wrap his arm around you as he cuddles closer to you in his sleep. You fall back to sleep easily in his embrace and dream of the sweet kisses, tantalizing touches and undeniable happiness to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it folks! I'm sorry if I have frustrated some of you with this open ending. I was back and forth so many times while writing this. My original intention was an open ending, but when I wasn't sure how to get there I started writing with one person in mind to pair the reader with. But, let's be honest, I can't choose between the guys! So I found my way back to this open ending, which I am very happy with. The Reader could love any of them really, though I do think it came through which people I was rooting for the most in this fic. I'd love to hear your comments on who you thought/hope the reader gets together with in the end! :) Thanks for reading! It really means a lot to me!


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